Cabinet allows EC to buy VVPAT machines

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal by the Election Commission to buy new Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail machines. However, the amount that will be allotted is unclear at the moment.

File Photo of EVM machines

Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi had written to the Centre asking for funds so it can buy paper trail voting machines before the 2019 elections.

In March 22, Zaidi sent a letter to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and asked that the money be disbursed immediately as the machines need to be bought by September 2018 in order for them to be used for Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

The Supreme Court had asked the EC to give a tentative period of time by which it can use VVPAT machines in all polling stations. The EC had come under attack by parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress for allegedly using 'tampered' EVMs.

What are VVPAT machines?

The Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail is a method that provides feedback to voters. It is an independent verification printer machine and is attached to electronic voting machines. When a voter presses a button in the EVM, a paper slip is printed through the VVPAT. The slip contains the poll symbol and name of the candidate.